1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cup holder for holding things to be accommodated, for example, various vessels for beverages having different outside diameters.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a cup holder to be the cup holder of this kind has been disclosed in Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication No. Hei. 10-324188, for example.
As shown in FIG. 14, the cup holder described in the publication comprises a frame portion 101 provided with an almost circular holding hole 100, a receiving portion 102 having a dogleg shaped side surface and supported to be relatively rotatable with respect to the frame portion 101, and a housing portion 103 for accommodating the frame portion 101 and the receiving portion 102.
The back face of the frame portion 101 is provided with an almost square concave portion 105 having one side portion opened to the holding hole 100 and an upper bottom 104 forming a part of the edge portion of the holding hole 100. Moreover, a holding member 106 formed of a wire to have an almost U-shaped plane is accommodated in the concave portion 105 such that a bottom portion 107 is protruded by a predetermined amount toward the center of the holding hole 100. In the holding member 106, both tip portions 108 bent outward are engaged with an engagement hole 110 of an inside surface 109 provided continuously with the inner peripheral surface of the holding hole 100 in the concave portion 105. The holding member 106 is supported to be rotatable around the engagement hole 110 by the engagement of the tip portion 108 with the engagement hole 110 of the inside surface 109. Moreover, both inside surfaces 109 of the concave portion 105 are provided with a guide projection 111 for guiding the holding member 106 into a reference position (a position parallel with an upper surface 101a of the frame portion 101) when the bottom portion 107 side of the holding member 106 is displaced vertically.
According to the related-art vessel holder, in the case in which a vessel like a cup for a beverage having an outside diameter equal to or less than a distance between the opposed surfaces of the external surface of the bottom portion 107 of the holding member 106 and the inner peripheral surface of the holding hole 100 is to be inserted in the holding hole 100, the vessel is held by a part of the inner peripheral surface of the holding hole 100 and the holding member 106 provided in the reference position. On the other hand, in the case in which the vessel having an outside diameter greater than the distance and equal to or less than the inside diameter of the holding hole 100 is to be inserted in the holding hole 100, the vessel is held by a part of the inner peripheral surface of the holding hole 100 and the holding member 106 having the bottom portion 107 rotated toward the receiving portion 102 side. Moreover, in the case in which the vessel having an outside diameter almost equal to the inside diameter of the holding hole 100 is to be inserted in the holding hole 100, the vessel is held by the inner peripheral surface of the holding hole 100.
In the related-art vessel holder, however, when the outside diameter of the vessel to be inserted in the holding hole 100 is increased, the holding member 106 holds the vessel with the bottom portion 107 displaced downward. On the other hand, generally, when the outside diameter of the vessel for a beverage is increased, a height thereof becomes greater and a center of gravity also tends to be set in a high position. In the related-art vessel holder, therefore, except for the case in which a vessel for a beverage having a greater outside diameter is to be held and the case in which the vessel is to be held by the whole inner peripheral surface of the holding hole 100, the vessel cannot be held in a stable state and might be apt to fall down by the vibration of a vehicle or an inertia during the rotation of the vehicle. This problem becomes more remarkable when the amount of protrusion of the holding member 106 into the holding hole 100 such that a vessel having a small outside diameter to a vessel having a great outside diameter can be held by the common holding hole 100.
The invention has been made in consideration of such a problem of the related-art and has an object to provide a cup holder capable of more reliably holding a thing to be accommodated in a stable state irrespective of the outside diameter or width of the thing to be accommodated.
In order to attain the object, a first aspect of the invention is directed to a cup holder comprising a frame portion having one or more insertion holes for inserting various things to be accommodated which have different outside diameters or widths, a receiving portion for receiving the things inserted in the insertion hole, and a holding member energized to be set in a predetermined reference position by an energizing member and serving to abut on external surfaces of the things inserted in the insertion hole, thereby holding the things, the holding member having a tip portion thereof protruded from an inner peripheral surface of the insertion hole toward an inside and a base end thereof supported pivotally to be rotatable around a rotating shaft in a direction of the insertion of the things with respect to the frame portion, wherein a plurality of holding members are provided for one insertion hole and are provided such that amounts of the protrusion from an inner peripheral surface of the insertion hole are different from each other.
According to the first aspect of the invention, various things to be accommodated which have different outside diameters or widths to be inserted can be held in a predetermined reference position or a position having a small amount of rotation of the holding members by means of the holding members. For this reason, it is possible to more reliably hold the thing to be accommodated in a stable state irrespective of the outside diameter or width of the thing to be accommodated.
Moreover, a second aspect of the invention is directed to the cup holder according to the first aspect of the invention, wherein at least two holding members are provided in a reference position set in an almost parallel state with at least the receiving portion and a bending position set in an almost rectangular state to the receiving position, and the holding member having a greater amount of protrusion from the inner peripheral surface of the insertion hole is started to be rotated sequentially.
According to the second aspect of the invention, in addition to the functions of the first aspect of the invention, in the case in which the thing to be accommodated is to be inserted in the insertion hole, each holding member is rotated in order when the outside diameter or the width is increased. Accordingly, it is also possible to smoothly accommodate the thing to be accommodated which has a great outside diameter or width and to realize a suitable holding state corresponding to the outside diameter or width of the thing to be accommodated.
Furthermore, a third aspect of the invention is directed to the cup holder according to the first or second aspect of the invention, wherein the holding member is provided such that a distance between a tip portion in the reference position and a mounting surface of the thing to be accommodated in the receiving portion is almost constant.
According to the third aspect of the invention, in addition to the functions of the first or second aspect of the invention, the thickness of the frame portion in the direction of the insertion of the thing to be accommodated can be reduced so that the size of the whole cup holder can be decreased.
Moreover, a fourth aspect of the invention is directed to the cup holder according to the first or second aspect of the invention, wherein the holding member having a smaller amount of protrusion of the tip portion in the reference position from the inner peripheral surface of the insertion hole is provided such that a distance between the tip portion and a mounting surface of the thing to be accommodated in the receiving portion is increased.
According to the fourth aspect of the invention, in addition to the functions of the first or second aspect of the invention, when the outside diameter or width of the thing to be accommodated which is to be inserted into the insertion hole of the frame portion is increased, the thing to be accommodated is held by the holding member placed in a position which is set more apart from the receiving portion. Consequently, the movement of a thing to be accommodated which is provided in a higher position of a center of gravity can be controlled in a higher position with an increase in the outside diameter or width. Consequently, the thing to be accommodated can be held in a stabler state.
Furthermore, a fifth aspect of the invention is directed to the cup holder according to any of the first to fourth aspects of the invention, wherein the holding member is provided in such a state that one rotating shaft is shared.
According to the fifth aspect of the invention, in addition to the functions of any of the first to fourth aspects of the invention, an assembling work can easily be carried out during the assembly of the holding members into the frame portion. In addition, it is possible to reduce the manufacturing cost of the cup holder.
Moreover, a sixth aspect of the invention is directed to the cup holder according to any of the first to fifth aspects of the invention, wherein a holding member on a center side which is provided on the center side of the insertion hole has a concave portion or an opening portion between a tip portion thereof and a base end, and a holding member on an outer peripheral side to be provided on the outer peripheral side of the insertion hole is accommodated in the concave portion or the opening portion.
According to the sixth aspect of the invention, in addition to the functions of any of the first to fifth aspects of the invention, each holding member can be arranged efficiently in a limited space so that the size of the cup holder can be reduced.
Furthermore, a seventh aspect of the invention is directed to the cup holder according to the sixth aspect of the invention, wherein an inclined portion having a downward gradient is provided on an upper surface of the holding member on the outer peripheral side from the base end to the tip portion.
According to the seventh aspect of the invention, in addition to the functions of the sixth aspect of the invention, when the thing to be accommodated is to be inserted into the insertion hole, the bottom portion thereof is guided along the inclined portion so that the thing to be accommodated can easily be inserted.
Moreover, an eighth aspect of the invention is directed to the cup holder according to the sixth or seventh aspect of the invention, wherein the holding member on the center side is provided with at least one projection extended across the concave portion or the opening portion, and the holding member on the outer peripheral side is provided with interference avoiding means for avoiding an interference with the projection.
According to the eighth aspect of the invention, in addition to the functions of the sixth or seventh aspect of the invention, when inserting, into the insertion hole, the thing to be accommodated which has a greater outside diameter or width than a distance between the tip portion of the holding member on the center side and an opposed surface thereof, it is possible to prevent the bottom portion of the thing to be accommodated from being easily caught in the boundary portion of the holding member on the center side and the holding member on the outer peripheral side. Consequently, it is possible to enhance the inserting property of the thing to be accommodated.
Furthermore, a ninth aspect of the invention is directed to the cup holder according to any of the first to eighth aspects of the invention, wherein the holding member is provided to be aggregated in the reference position in the direction of the insertion of the thing to be accommodated.
According to the ninth aspect of the invention, in addition to the functions of any of the first to eighth aspects of the invention, each holding member can be arranged in a compact condition in the direction of the insertion of the thing to be accommodated. Thus, it is possible to further reduce the size of the cup holder.
Moreover, a tenth aspect of the invention is directed to the cup holder according to any of the first to ninth aspects of the invention, wherein the frame portion is provided with a protruded wall protruded in the direction of the insertion of the thing to be accommodated in at least a part of a portion opposed to the tip portion of the holding member in a peripheral edge of the insertion hole.
According to the tenth aspect of the invention, in addition to the functions of any of the first to ninth aspects of the invention, the thing to be accommodated is caused to abut on the protruded wall. Consequently, the movement of the thing to be accommodated which is inserted in the insertion hole is controlled so that the looseness of the thing to be accommodated can be suppressed.
Furthermore, an eleventh aspect of the invention is directed to the cup holder according to any of the first to tenth aspects of the invention, wherein there are provided the holding member on the center side which is disposed on the center side of the insertion hole and the holding member on the outer peripheral side which is disposed on the outer peripheral side of the insertion hole, and in the case in which the thing to be accommodated has a dent portion over a whole periphery of central and bottom portions thereof, the holding member on the outer peripheral side in the reference position permits a passage of a lower bulged portion from the dent portion in the thing to be accommodated and the holding member on the center side has a tip portion to abut on a portion provided below a top of the bulged portion in a rotation state.
In the cup holder of this kind, a thing to be accommodated which has a dent portion provided continuously over almost the whole circumference of a lower portion such as a 500 ml pet bottle of xe2x80x9cDiet Coca-Colaxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cCoca-Colaxe2x80x9d produced by the Coca-Cola Co., Ltd. is inserted in the insertion hole of the frame portion. On the other hand, according to the eleventh aspect of the invention, in addition to the functions of any of the first to tenth aspects of the invention, it is possible to prevent the tip portions of the holding member on the center side and the holding member on the outer peripheral side from entering the dent portion of the thing to be accommodated with the same thing inserted in the insertion hole. Consequently, it is possible to prevent the difficult removal of the thing to be accommodated which is inserted in the insertion hole.
Features and advantages of the invention will be evident from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments described in conjunction with the attached drawings.